IOKIYAR, for those who haven’t run across this peculiar acronym, stands for “It’s OK If You’re a Republican” – the double standard that seems to have taken root across much of the political landscape these days. Things that are considered mortal political sins when committed by a Democrat, well, IOKIYAR.
IOKIYAR arose recently in Massachusetts in the campaign of Jeff Perry. If a Democrat had been running for Congress with Perry’s appalling record surrounding his subordinate’s illegal strip searches of two girls and his subsequent false statements on that subject (along with the fake degree from the diploma mill, the red-light allegations, and all the rest of it), can you imagine what the hue and cry would have been from our friends across the aisle? But they were mostly untroubled by it, instead vigorously defending him from “negative campaigning.” Even Michael Graham, who publicly professed discomfort with Perry’s behavior, including his “statements that were clearly not true,” explained that of course he’d vote for the guy anyway, even though voters never should have voted for Democrats with far less troubling pasts. Because IOKIYAR.
Which brings us to Howie Carr. Who is, by the way, not just a conservative columnist. He is an active Republican – he’s proud of his participation in GOP fundraisers, and there he is at a Cape Cod Republican Club event in Plymouth, sporting his “Jeff Perry for Congress” sticker next to failed AG contender Jim McKenna. Carr also donated to a Republican state lege candidate a couple of weeks before shilling for him in his Herald column. An opinionista who donates money to candidates and then promotes their candidacies? A Democrat might get suspended. But IOKIYAR.
Anyway, here’s Howie’s take on why Democrats won across the board on election day in MA:
Who are these dolts who have left Taxachusetts a blue island in a sea of red? You can’t ask these voters what they were thinking because obviously they weren’t, thinking that is.
Likewise, we needn’t ask them what they were smoking, because that’s obvious.
Ah. So voters who supported Democrats are brain-dead drug addicts.
Par for the course for the likes of Howie. But seriously – is there anyone employed by a semi-respectable newspaper or other media outlet around here who talks like this about Republican voters? Not that I can think of. And if there were, can you imagine the outcry? Oooooh, there goes so-and-so again, all high and mighty about being so superior to the real Americans who vote Republican. How dare anyone question the intelligence of voters, simply because they happen to support a Republican? What an elitist bastard so-and-so is.
Look, obviously Howie is personally devastated by the loss of the candidates he supported. Every single one of them. *chortle* But that shouldn’t give him license to hurl blanket insults at the majority of Massachusetts voters. If he wants to throw a temper tantrum, that’s fine – he is no doubt not alone among MA Republicans in that. But the Herald shouldn’t publish it. That kind of thing wouldn’t be tolerated, by the Herald or any other media outlet, if the roles were reversed.
IOKIYAR, I guess.
It’s a question for Joe Sciacca. Too bad he left Beat the Press.
Howie is doing what any sensible political activist would do – use whatever means are available to him to advance the causes and candidates he supports. The Herald shouldn’t allow it, but that’s Sciacca’s call.
The fact the lowest of the low, slimiest of the slime, moronic of the morons donate to political campaigns should not be the justification for liberal and progressive journalist and commentators giving to political campaigns.
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p>This is no different then when you Mother yells, “… and if all of your friends jumped of the Brooklyn Bridge, would you jump too?”
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p>The fact that you do not leave your citizenship at the door by taking a job as a journalist or commentator is sufficient. If nothing prevents you from voting for a candidate, then nothing should prevent you from donating to a candidate. Done and DONE.
That’s what’s this post is saying.
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p>It’s just pointing out the hypocrisy.
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p>Also, given the hypocrisy right AT MSNBC (permission?? Really?? that’s the standard??) the whole thing is rather ridiculous.
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p>Personally, RE the Olbermann thing, I think the network was using it to test the loyalty of his audience. Honestly. WTF did they THINK would happen? They are rather left looking like pseudo-fascists (you can donate, but you have to get it approved first, because we feel like making rules up to show you we’re in control. rather than blanket ban the practice or just leave it alone. What happens when you run by your donation by MSNBC and they don’t approve? I mean, WTF?)
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p>Anyway, this post is all about shilling, IMHO, not just about donations and who gives ’em, who doesn’t, and who’s allowed to.
Olbermann, as an opinion-on-TV figure, has criticized Dems as much as he’s praised them. That would never happen on the other side with the Carrs type of commentator. Another difference between us and them, even when we’re “opinionators.”
Dude, he’s a big hating fish in a little pond. My answer to a lot of superconservatives here is, if you don’t like what democracy wrought here, you have lots of options, stop complaining, the outcome was the outcome. Similar to nationwide Dem losses – I don’t complain that we lost fair and square (so long as it was fair and square ~ahem20002004~). What I lament is our lack of GOTV that could have saved us, and the Dems who compromised so much it was hard to defend their vision.
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p>But Carr, he loves the sound of his own voice. Move to a state with lots of voices like his?? No friggin’ way! He’d get lost in the crowd! Oh NOES!
The conservatives who are gnashing their teeth and having severe conniption fits about how “liberal” this state is and isn’t it AWEful would move the hell out in a heartbeat, if our economy wasn’t one of the best in the nation.
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p>Hehe.
the right-wingers (my cousins) who moved from Mass to New Hampshire and now complain that there are too many Massachusetts people up there.
I apologize for borrowing someone elses quote.
Have we forgotten about Gerry Studds? So soon? Not being a voter of that district, my time line might be a little off. Time frame looks consistent though.
About donating to non-democratic candidates: Do you folks return checks from Republicans? I didn’t think so.
John Kerry was right: The voters are stupid! Look at last weeks results for verification.
Do not engage.
Sorry, I’m not a cheerleader. I find it hilarous when you folks determine it is ok for you to do, but not anyone else. Can we say HYPOCRISY! Didn’t think so. Those 4 syllable words are tough.
But that’s par for the course. To pretty much any commentary involving Jeff Perry, the approved Right Wing Talking Point™ seems to be “AAAHHHH!!! GERRY STUDDS!!!”
I’m picking up this democratspeak pretty well. You don’t like what someone says, you insult them. The election is over. You guys won handily.
Kujo lost, the election was a success to me!
How many would you like? And on what subject?
for years.
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p>The once proud Democrat has really changed and you could see it on his radio show.
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p>He once railed against those who divested and sheltered all their parents wealth so they could/would quality for federal assistance when they didn’t need it.
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p>Then all of a sudden Howie was for it, even becoming a spokesperson for a company that did just that.
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This is why mainstream “news” media is, as a rule, stupid.
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p>Has Carr ever pretended to be anything other than conservative, and a supporter of Republicans, if not a Republican himself?
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p>Has Olberman ever pretended to be anything other than liberal, and a supporter of Democrats, if not a Democrat himself?
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p>I don’t see what the big deal is, unless one pretends that people who work for the media have to be unbiased. But that very notion, as we know, is hooey, and leads to shit “reporting” along the lines of “A says Worcester is west of Boston; B disagrees” nonsense.
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p>Let media personalities like Carr, Olberman, and Dan Rather for that matter, be up front about their own political positions, and stop the silly charade.
And I trust you agree that lefties and righties should be held to similar standards by news organizations. That’s the point of my post.
Why should MSNBC anchors have to get permission to donate to a candidate? Shouldn’t they have the same freedom Howie Carr does?
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p>2. I think left-leaning and right-leaning “opinion journalists” should be held to similar standards.
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p>3. I don’t think that the Herald, or anyone else, would tolerate the kind of voter-bashing that Howie Carr routinely spews, if it were directed at Republican voters.
But if you support someone giving money (in a non-secret way) and then having their name appear on financial reports, then YOU MUST BE AGAINST THE SECRET BALLOT!!!!!
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p>What if someone used that information to come back an harm that person, say, through a suspension or firing? How is this any different than signing a petition against, oh I don’t know, Gay Marriage and then having their name disclosed at a later point.
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p>For details on the inside references and sarcasm, please see Gay Marriage Petition fight/discussion from July, 2010.